Accept No Substitute: Germany Wins, 2-1
Germany is the European soccer champion, beating the Czech Republic, 2-1, on a “golden goal.”
And Oliver Bierhoff is the golden substitute.
Bierhoff tied the score in the second half Sunday, then struck four minutes into overtime, giving Germany its third European Championship title, the previous ones in 1972 and 1980.
“It was just a sea of happiness,” Bierhoff said. “I was aware that was a golden goal and I had scored it.”
Some Czech players flung themselves to the ground in dismay. The Czechs entered the tournament as 80-1 longshots.
It was the first time a sudden-death overtime format was used in the event. Ordinarily, there would be two 15-minute overtimes and then a shootout if necessary.
Bierhoff made the score 1-1 in the 73rd minute, scoring four minutes after entering the game in front of 73,611 at Wembley Stadium.
“My wife told me ‘take Oliver with you. He will thank you for it.’ And he did it tonight,” Coach Berti Vogts said.
German star Juergen Klinsmann, medically cleared to play right before gametime, collected the trophy from Queen Elizabeth II in the royal box.
The winning goal went off both hands of goalkeeper Petr Kouba and dropped behind him, just inside his left post. The Czechs protested, claiming an offside preceded the winning goal.
Patrik Berger of the Czech Republic scored in the 57th minute after a foul on Karel Poborsky by Matthias Sammer, although the infraction appeared to come outside the penalty area. Berger converted the penalty kick to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead.
Ten minutes after Berger scored, Vogts sent in Bierhoff for Mehmet Scholl. And the strategy paid off almost immediately.
Christian Ziege sent an inswinging free kick from the right. Bierhoff arrived at the far post to powerfully head home the ball from close range.
“I was sure after that we would win the game in extra time,” Bierhoff said. “We had agreed that we would hit more long balls up to the strikers and either shoot ourselves or lay it up for our colleagues.”
